Hi all,

I play microstakes SnGs and there is often one player at the table whose minimum bet size tends to be pot-sized after the flop and a 5xBB raise pre-flop.

I often struggle with such players because they are so aggrressive it borders on stupidity - these guys rarely win but they are right pain in my side early on as when i do get a hand and want to play it they push me away with scary pot odds.

Say I have this: AJs and he raises in middle position to 5BB and I am on the button. Nobody else has limped so there are only the blinds to bet after me before the flop.

BB starts at 20 and ends on 300 but say the blinds at this stage are 20/40 and i have a stack of 1,750 and aggro player has 2,200. My usual early game strategy is to play tight (only premium hands in good position) but usually on the button I'd raise to about 2.5 - 3.5 BB with AJs. I like smallball.

Aggro player though doesn't and raises 5BB. Now I know he's loosish and very aggressive, especially post-flop. What do I do? Blinds are low enough I can fold but if he keeps doing this I can only really fold or shove because even if he's playing 33 or A5 or even KJ then regardless what he has if i shove and lose im screwed early on. It goes against my own strategy to even get involved in a hand which is that expensive pre-flop so early in the SnG. But im tired of folding monster hands to people like this because I don't want to risk my game when there is still a full table

Any help on these kinda players - am i right in thinking their idiotic for constantly betting so high and that their bets are overkill? Surely these players could never hack higher stakes games??

Thanks all

* bump *

c'mon guys i'm trying to play smallball and these suckers aint lettin me!
im not ready to move to a higher stake level

Depends how often he is putting money in (VPIP). If it's 30 or more I'd 3/4 bet and get it in. AJ is not a monster. Generally, stay out of their way with marginal hands, and hit em when you got the nuts.

thanks, does that mean he's seeing 30% of flops?

quit having a boo hoo barca and deal with it

Originally Posted by ROSSAKATONY

quit having a boo hoo barca and deal with it

what would you do Ross AKA Tony ??

im only asking for advice - am i in the wrong section? (or are you on the wrong forum?)

you ask me what would i do and i say

widen your range ok

If this guy is voluntarily putting money into the pot say 30% of the time then his range is wide and he could have 33 or A5 as you correctly state - but these players also get dealt AA, KK etc and tend to play them the same way. Folding here does you no damage at all. Calling isn't a disaster but what do you do if the SB or BB put in a big raise - if they are good players they will see that a loose player raise followed by a tight player's call is a prime spot to squeeze play and if they do you have to fold most of the time. I would play back at this guy with a slightly better hand from a slightly better position, preferable the BB so you know it's head up. I suspect that as he gathers lots of chips easily that he will give up on this hand with all but genuine holdings and if he does re-raise you then you know where you stand. You will always find these guys by the way almost regardless of the level you play.

thanks both for advice.

Sorry if it seemed like i'm just talking about loose-aggro players in general also. I learned mostly from SnG books so maintaining stack size early on is something I'm always trying to balance with general strategy. I've busted out early qith Kings before and I know it was probably right to get them in but at this level I am learning that there are players here who will try to triple up with Q6 suited! So I need to be careful when I get my money but i guess the lesson here is not to be afraid by the fact its early game and just play into him whenever i can afford to & got position.

Thanks again